Smoking marijuana is associated with increased risk of many of the same symptoms as smoking cigarettes–chronic bronchitis, coughing on most days, phlegm production, shortness of breath, and wheezing, according to a Yale study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

In addition, marijuana smoking may increase risk of respiratory exposure by infectious organisms, such as fungi and molds, since cannabis plants are contaminated with a range of fungal spores, said Brent M

School-children will soon be able to transform and re-invent their playground environments thanks to NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) – the organization that champions UK innovation and creativity. NESTA has invested £200,000 in the development of the Experimental Playground Kit, brainchild of artist organisation, ‘Snug and Outdoor’.

NESTA’s support will enable Snug and Outdoor to develop their kit – a set of flexible building materials – that wi

Individual and family attributes may make some adolescents more ‘resilient’ to the effects of living in a disadvantaged community, according to new research sponsored by the ESRC.

How inner city young people feel about their own psychological and social health and the area where they live is influenced by differences in home and social life as well as the physical environment, says a study led by Professor Sarah Curtis, of Queen Mary, University of London.

Research based o

A baby’s first sounds, other than crying, may baffle parents. Is that soft “coo” the sound of contentment? Boredom? Nothing more than a reflex?

Little is known about baby’s talk and just as little is known about how babies perceive and process words and sounds from adults and the world around them. It is through understanding how infants and toddlers develop life-long language skills that researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine hope to help deaf infant

Blood pressure levels drop in response to vegetarian diet, says lead article in Nutrition Reviews January 2005

A new scientific review shows that high blood pressure can be reduced with diet changes, especially a vegetarian diet. The new report analyzes the results of published studies and concludes that vegetarian populations have lower rates of hypertension, “the silent killer.” This report, authored by nutritionist Susan E. Berkow, Ph.D., C.N.S., and Neal D. Barnard, M.D., is the

’Nanoshells’ enhance sensitivity to chemical detection by factor of 10 billion

New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science finds that tailored nanoparticles known as nanoshells can enhance chemical sensing by as much as 10 billion times. That makes them about 10,000 times more effective at Raman scattering than traditional methods.

When molecules and materials scatter light, a small fraction of the light interacts in such a w

When people think of jobs that use temporary workers, doctors are probably not one of the first careers to come to mind.

But the use of temporary staff doctors appears to be a growing trend, and a new study suggests many doctors are choosing short-term assignments because they don’t want to work full-time or because they are seeking a more flexible schedule. “The most striking finding was this emphasis on a more controllable work schedule and flexibility, especially among women p

There are a lot of terrible things that people do to one another. A husband kills his pregnant wife and unborn child. A woman kills another woman she met on the Internet and kidnaps an 8-month fetus she cut from its mother’s womb.

At the same time, there are a lot of minor moral and legal violations that people engage in as well — violations such as speeding, cheating on tests, etc. But what factors influence a person’s willingness to engage in various minor moral and

20-year study at Columbia University Medical Center is first to highlight increased risk of depression across three generations

Nearly 60 percent of children whose parents and grandparents suffered from depression have a psychiatric disorder before they reach their early teens, according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI). This is more than double the number of children (approx. 28 p

Many asylum seekers in Leeds are destitute or homeless because of flaws in the benefits system according to researchers at the University of Leeds. The project, which was funded by ESRC, reveals that forced migrants in the city are often denied benefits and accommodation because of the time constraints imposed by section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act (2002), which is currently under review.

“The system simply isn’t working,” says Dr Peter Dwyer, who led th

The care of rural stroke patients was improved when an urban stroke center offered telephone assistance in treatment, according to a study published in the January 11 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The stroke center doctors helped decide when and how to treat patients with the clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator, called tPA. The drug can reduce disability and save lives, but its use is complicated. The treatment carr

12-hour self-management program for individuals with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) leads to lasting improvements in mood and function, especially in depressed patients, and decreases the development of clinical depression in AMD patients over time, according to a University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Shiley Eye Center study published in the January 2005 Archives of Ophthalmology.

In this study, individuals who participated in a structured group session des

Breakout data suggests a wake-promoting agent promotes cocaine abstinence

Cocaine dependence is a major public health problem affecting thousands of people around the globe. Despite years of active research there are still no approved medications for the treatment of this life-shattering addiction. Researchers are now hopeful that may soon change based on the results of a controlled study done at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The study’s findings can be foun

A new study from the University of Alberta suggests it may be better to enroll your child in the first grade later than sooner.
The study says that students who entered Grade 1 at an older age relative to their classmates scored significantly better years later on tests that measure self-esteem. This is important, the study’s authors say, because there is much evidence linking higher self-esteem in childhood to happier, healthier, and more successful lives as adults.

Convers

Study of large, ethnically diverse population shows strong association between high levels of hyaluronic acid and severe osteoarthritis of the knees and hips

chronic degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain and disability among older Americans. OA of the knee affects up to 6 percent of the older population, while OA of the hip affects about another 3 percent. While treatments vary, there is hope that early intervention – before joint destruction

Research by exercise scientists at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) may have an answer to the age old question of why women live longer than men.

On average, women live longer than men and women over 60 are now the fastest growing cohort in today’s ageing society. LJMU’s findings show that women’s longevity may be linked to the fact that their hearts age differently to men’s and do not lose their pumping power as they get older.

David Goldspink, LJMU’s Professor